Customer says he hid in Glenbrook mall locker room during shooting

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — Saturday’s shooting at Glenbrook Square Mall, which left two people injured, sent some shoppers running for their lives and others hiding in stores, hoping to get out alive.

Jennifer Boen was shopping for pants at JCPenny. While in a dressing room, she heard someone shout that there was a shooting and that everyone should be quiet. Then she heard people praying in the neighboring rooms. It was then that she began to realize the reality of the situation and also began to pray.

Boen said she had never, in her entire life, felt the range of emotions she felt in that moment while sitting in that dressing room. She said that although prayer gave her a sense of calm, she couldn’t stop thinking about the possible outcomes.

“I also (felt) a feeling of, ‘Okay, this really could be my last day,’” Boen said.

After several minutes of hiding in the dressing room, she heard someone yelling that they were with the police and yelling if there was anyone in the store. Boen shouted at the officer. Then he showed up at the door with a large gun and told her she needed to leave the store and head to the nearest exit. However, the nearest exit was blocked by a portal.

“I stood there for maybe five to 10 seconds, realizing I was pretty vulnerable,” Boen said. “I look at the fountain, there’s this portal and I don’t see anyone else. For a split second, I felt pretty alone there.

At that point, Boen realized the officer who told her to leave wasn’t with her.

“When I couldn’t see the officer directing me, I was like, ‘Okay Jennifer, you need to pull yourself together,'” Boen said. “Don’t depend on anyone else. Here you make good decisions and you decide which way you’re going to go, and then I saw police outside.

This won’t deter Boen from going to the mall in the future. She won’t live her life in fear, she said. But she knows people who have said they won’t go again. Boen thinks metal detectors might be a good idea at entrances to Glenbrook after three shootings in 10 months.

“I wondered if this might be helpful,” Boen said. “I know no one wants to be slowed down by security. I know people complain when they go to the airport. I think the world is like this right now and we need these kinds of additional measures.